Direct PhD Entry For Four-Year Degree Holders: All You Need To Know
In a move that could benefit a large section of students pursuing research, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has allowed students with 4-year undergraduate degrees to directly appear for the National Eligibility Test (NET) and pursue?PhD.?
New qualification for PhD
For pursuing?PhD?with or without a?Junior Research Fellowship?(JRF), students with 4-year undergraduate degrees need a minimum of 75?per cent?aggregate marks or an equivalent grade.??
Currently, a NET candidate requires a master's degree with a minimum of 55?per cent?marks.
The NET is conducted twice a year, in June and December. Its scores are currently used to award a Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) and to determine eligibility for an appointment as an assistant professor for those with a Master's degree.
Relaxation for reservation category?
Further, a relaxation of five?per cent?marks or its equivalent grade may be allowed for those belonging to SC, ST, OBC (non-creamy layer), differently-abled, economically weaker sections?and?other categories of candidates as per the decision of the UGC from time to time.
Will strengthen research?
According to UGC Chairman Jagadesh Kumar permitting undergraduate students into?PhD?programs through NET will strengthen the research ecosystem in India and "open up" many opportunities for students at a "very young age" in research.
"One of the objectives of NEP is to strengthen the research ecosystem in our universities. When we permit undergraduate students into?PhD?programs, you will have a lot of young people getting into research at a very young age, and they are?really?creative," Kumar said.
Aptitude for PhD
According to him, it is necessary to see if the student has the aptitude for doing a?PhD.
"Currently, the assistant professor can take 4?PhD?students, the associate professor can take six?PhD?students and the professor can take 10?PhD?students, so we already have a lot of opportunities for admitting a large number of?PhD?students," he said.
"We also need to see whether the student has the aptitude for doing a?PhD.?PhD?is not like an undergrad or a master's degree program. That's the reason why we are saying that the student has to clear the UGC NET, but they also have to attend an interview at the university where their research aptitude and readiness for doing research will be examined," he added.
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